Beautiful
by ArtemisDestiny
Summary: So this is the second edition on this two-shot because the first was written too quickly and was seriously lacking... Dasey Songfic
1. Don't You Know

So this is going to be a two-shot, maybe more if the inspirations right. The premise is that Casey and Derek are at Queens. Nora, George, Dennis, and Abbey decide to be economical and make the kids share a small two bedroom a few blocks from Queens campus. Casey and Derek have been off since the hole, "Brother… Step brother… Same difference" incident. The family would like to think they are finally maturing past the bickering. Our story begins with Derek staring at the activities board outside his film class…

These are also Song-fics so I would suggest listening to "Don't You Know" by Seabird it's the inspiration for Derek in this story.

Any words spoken aloud will be in quotes. The _italicized_ words are Derek singing. All other text is life in Dereks head.

Derek POV

Queens was amazing, and horrifying at the same time. I was not the most popular guy in school anymore, no one knows my name. Well, some people might, I was starting to get a bit of attention. Hockey season would start soon.

The best part about being invisible is just that, invisibility. I don't have to think about what I'm doing all the time. Don't get me wrong, I could have shown up to school in a dress in high school and people still would have worshipped me (Glee!). But here I'm not watched or whispered about.

And yet I missed being the man. Doing whatever I wanted, saying whatever. I always got out of trouble. Not here. I haven't done anything bad, not with Casey around anyway. I don't want to test my limits at Queens. I know college is important. I've been trying a lot harder…even if Case thinks I'm just a slacker.

Anyway, so here I am looking innocently over the activities board outside my film class, checking out this blonde, when I spot a flyer that's bright orange. AMATEUR LYRICISTS CONTEST. Kryptonite, a local club was looking for amateur singer/song writers to try and raise money for some charity, what caught his eye was the $500 reward.

With that kind of cash he could go on the school sponsored trip to Cancun, Mexico for spring break. Seven days of beautiful beaches and tiny bikini's. Really what else could a guy want.

The best part was, he already had a song. Not the one he and Casey wrote for Sally, although it did cross his mind to use it. So here's the thing, I'm kinda inlovewithcasey… yea I know. Its sad, but true. And after her dad almost bailed on her, and I called him back, I kinda wrote a song about it. About her. Always her.

The thing is that I know she knows I care. And I know she cares, that's why we spend so much time trying to not care. Then we argue, save one another and spend another week convincing ourselves that we didn't help the other person.

So I date around. I look for girls who are not Casey, and try not to think about her.

One Week Later…

"Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the Haiti relief we want to thank you for your support and donations. Our next singer comes from London, put your hands together for Derek Venturi," the announcer, Jim, I think he said called my name and my stomach lurched. There were more people here than I thought there would be.

The curtain slid across my back as I walked out from backstage. I was met with applause and a few hoots. Trademark smirk in place, I sat on the stool on the front of the stage. The lights dimmed, and the keyboard started and:

_Don't you remember_

_You were happy when you were younger_

The words left my lips, and I knew I was being too quiet. The room dulled down to nothingness and my voice was all there was. I closed my eyes and sang louder.

_Things were so simple yeah'_

_Til the day he walked out on your mother_

I imagine Casey as a little girl, crying silently in her room as she knows her dad is leaving and not coming back. She may not know what's going on, but she knows what goodbye looks like. I wrap her small form in my arms in my mind and let her cry out the pain.

_But now you blame yourself_

_Because you're by yourself_

_You feel like it's not gonna to change_

_You're crying on the floor __cause you can take no more_

_Looking for a way to escape_

That's what Max was, a chance to be someone else, but that failed. Truman was a walk on the wild side, a chance to be bad, fail again. You push it all away but you can't pretend forever.

_And all this time saying you were fine_

_And everyone still to blame_

Mostly me. Seriously she could find a way blame for every bad thing that has ever happened to her!

_Well there you are_

_You and your broken heart_

_It's written all over your face_

But then she cries and I can't deal with it. I want to hold her, help her. Mostly make her stop crying. Whatever it takes to stop the tears.

_Don't you know_

_Don't you know that you're beautiful yeah_

The first time I saw Casey, walking up the sidewalk, I thought I was screwed. I could not be related to her, to not be aloud to touch her or be near her. When I looked into those blue blue eyes, I realized she was a mess. Which is what interested me about her. So pristine on the outside. Smoldering fire underneath. She will never understand how beautiful she is.

_I see you laughing_

_But I know inside that you're crying_

_Just tell me what happened when things went wrong_

_We'll try to make sense of it all_

Her first day at my school, the first walk by stare. Yeah, I named them. I saw that she was faking. Talking to Emily, her laugh, the hair behind the ear. I almost laughed at how hard she was trying to be someone else. I actaully like her stubborness, the parts of her she tries so hard to hide. Fresh meat I thought, Edwin isn't that fun anymore anyway.

_Please don't blame yourself_

_Cause you're not by yourself_

Whenever you needed me I was always there. Hell I took you to prom!

_I've been right here all along_

_Don't have to be alone_

_Because you've always know_

_Wherever your heart is my home_

She lies to everyone around her. I see the truth, probably another reason we fight. Fear. Because she sees me. The real good and bad me. Our mutual silence about what we really see is why we can't walk away. There is something there. After our fight in the bathroom, when our parents left us alone for the first time it was set in stone then. No matter where this girl went I needed to be near her.

_And all this time_

_Saying you were fine_

_And everyone still to blame_

_Well there you are_

_You and your broken heart_

_It's written all over you're face_

I opened my eyes the music winding down. I scanned the crowd. Saw a few familiar faces. People seemed to be liking me. MONEY MONEY MONEY. Money!

_Don't you know don't you know that you're beautiful_

_Yeah_

_Can't you see what you mean to me_

_Can't you see what you mean to_

_Don't you know don't you know that you're beautiful_

_Don't you know don't you know that you're beautiful_

_Don't you know don't you know that you're beautiful….. Ohhhh ohm_

The song ended and the lights immediately went out. Three two one… _clap clap clap, WHOOOO, clap clap… _erupted from the darkness. I'm going to Cancun, I'm going to Cancun. I turned to walk off stage and slid the curtain back. I nearly threw up right there.

Blue eyes stared at me. Not with horror, or laughter at my singing such a girly song but with such utter awareness. She knew who I was singing about. Her breathing was shallow. She was trying to figure out what to do. To say. Hell so was I.

"Next up is Casey McDonald," she looked past me a towards the stage. "Also from London," the announcer started clapping for Case.

DUN DUN DUN….

What comes next?

By the way, I do not own Life with Derek, or the characters, or the songs. Derek is singing Seabirds- Don't You Know.

Please review!!! I LOVE YOU LONG TIME

Artemis


	2. Disaster

This Chapter is from Casey's POV and the song is Kelly Clarkson's, "Beautiful Disaster" (I would go for the live version with the piano its how I imagine Casey singing it)

The _itaclics,_ are Casey singing to audience in a local club near Queens that is hosting a sing/song writer contest. The plain print throughout the song is Casey's thoughts and panics, spoken words will be in " "...

_Last time_

"_Next up is Casey McDonald," she looked past me a towards the stage. "Also from London," the announcer started clapping for Case. _

Casey POV

I couldn't move my feet. I just stared at him. Derek had been honest and vulnerable in front of a group of strangers. Things were changing. We have barley spoken since the… incident. Now he sings this song that I kinda knowisaboutme. Because who else could it be about.

"Ahem, Casey McDonald," Jim's voice bellowed as he motioned me forward again. My eyes went back to Derek. Oh God. He would never admit it, never admit the song was about me. We were in the kitchen again. "Same difference," the words had left my mouth before I could stop them.

Because to everyone else it had to be the same difference, but it was just me and him in that kitchen and I walked away a coward. I don't want to be a coward.

"Derek," my voice made his eyebrows shoot up. "Don't go anywhere." I didn't say anything more and walked out onto stage. I walked close to Jim, and whispered, "I know its last minute, but I want to change my song."

He covered the mic with his hand, "Look sweetie this isn't American Idol, you can't expect our musicians to just make up parts to follow you," he was not as nice in person as he had been on the phone.

"I can accompany myself, I just need the key board if its ok?" I asked as the crowd grew tired of the wait.

"Do whatever you want, just sing something," Jim turned and jumped off the stage. Crap what was I about to do.

I sat at the piano and adjusted the mic to my height. "Uhh, hi. I'm Casey, sorry about the delay. I, uhh, I was gonna sing a different song but the last singer has inspired me to play you all something else. I hope you like it."

Beautiful Disaster

_He drowns in his dreams_

_An exquisite extreme, I know_

My fongers move along the key board, it sounds better on a piano. My voice cressendos up and I take a breath. Oh hell, here goes.

_He's as damned as he seems_

_And more heaven than a heart could hold_

The way he really could be, like with Marti, and the kids in summer camp, when he saved me, thats when it really hit me. I loved Derek Venturi.

_If I tried to save him_

_My whole world would cave in_

_It just ain't right, oh it just ain't right…_

This song was about knowing that we would have been epic. A love of the ages, but those kinds of loves end two ways. Happily Ever After or disaster. So we lie to each other, and the world. But it doesn't stop me from wondering. Does not stop either of apparently.

_Oh and I don't know_

_I don't know what he's after_

_But he's so beautiful_

_He's such a beautiful disaster_

Derek was a disaster. Like Godzilla stomping all over my world. Shaking up the order. I am not that neurotic, he is just soooo messy. Disorganized beyond repair.

_And if I could hold on_

_Through the tears and the laughter_

Could our family survive us in a relationship. Could we. What am I doing. Singing this song to him. Can I hold on. Being with Derek is never going to be simple.

_Would it be beautiful?_

_Or just a beautiful disaster_

Then again, he gets away with everything like a spoiled child. It drives me nuts. Like he has some magical spell over everyone. Now hes got me.

_His magical myth_

_A__s strong as what I believe_

_A tragedy with_

_More damage than a soul should see_

I think his mom broke some pieces of him. Stomped on his world. So he put it back together.

_And do I try to change him_

_So hard not to blame him_

I could blame Derek for everything. Somehow it is always his fault. Falling down the stairs, Klutzilla! Ok, he helped me fix everything. But there are always problems because of him. He was a jerk to Max, even his best friend.

_Hold on tight_

_Hold on tight_

Why does he have to save me at the last moment every time. Challenge me, push me beyond the point of breaking. Its his fault. I could have kept up the act. Kept lying.

_Oh cuz I don't know_

_I don't know what he's after_

_But he's so beautiful_

_Such a beautiful disaster_

_And if I could hold on_

_Through the tears and the laughter_

_Would it be beautiful? _

_Or just a beautiful disaster_

Maybe once he's had me he will be done. Just needs a taste. Then he can walk away…

_I'm longing for love and the logical_

_But he's only happy hysterical_

Logically, I am being a moron. Sally was the only girl who really mattered. Kendra, Amy, Emily, ... Statistically speaking I am screwed.

_I'm searching for some kind of a miracle_

_Waiting so long,_

_I've waited so long_

_He's soft to the touch_

_But frayed at the end he breaks_

He did not think I would be here. What if he bails. This becomes the second most uncomfortale moment of my life and I smile at his face across the Thanksgiving table until I am dead? Or my mom lets me stay home one year. Same difference part 2

_He's never enough _

_And still he's more than I can take_

I let me voice fill the room, fingers pressing sharply against the piano keys. Tonight things have changed. I will finally know.

_Oh and I don't know_

_I don't know what he's after_

_But he's so beautiful_

_He's such a beautiful disaster_

_And if I could hold on_

_Through the tears and the laughter_

You had the balls to write this song about him he may as well hear it.

_Would it be beautiful?_

_Or just a beautiful disaster_

_He's beautiful_

_Oh he's so beautiful_

_He's beautiful_

The lights went out, as they had right after Derek. I could not move. Now I had to face the music. He was standing behind stage, smirk in place. I hated that smirk. Such victory laid in those lips.

"Nice song Case, is it about anyone I know?" _Same difference._ The challenge was in his voice. One last time. We would dance this dance one last time.

I couldn't speak for a few moments. More time passed than I realized as he sighed loudly and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Case I'm gonna head back to the apartment, I don't care about the money all that much anymore," he turned and grabbed his jacket heading towards the back door.

"Derek!" I nearly screamed. He didn't turn around just waited. He would make me say it. "its about you. The song. You already know that though…" my words trailed off as he swept me up in his arms.

"Good," he states matter of factly and then kissed me.

ZE END

Do not own LWD of Kelly Clarkson. I think I will continue this story… let me know if you want more!

LOVE,

Artemis


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